Moderate optimism for release of hostages from Hamas, at least the civiliansthe developments of the last few hours create, with the “axis” of Doha and Ankara showing that it is being activated while the Israeli army declares that it wants to intensify the pressure on the Islamic organization shortly before the ground operation.

Doha estimates that very soon the hostages will be released

Qatar, one of the countries that has a mediating role in its hostage crisis Hamas, and has increased influence among the Islamists, considers liberation possible “very soon” of the hostages thanks to ongoing discussions, said the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of this country in an interview he gave today to the newspaper Welt am Sonntag.

“I can’t promise you that this will happen today, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. But we are on a path that will lead very soon in the release of the hostages, mostly civilians,” Majed Al-Ansari said the day after the release of two American women kidnapped on October 7.

A mediation by Qatar led to the release of two American women on Friday night, as Doha explained it was in talks with the Israelis and Hamas.

“At the moment we are working on an agreement under which they will be released first all civilian hostages,” Al-Ansari added in the interview.

The release of the two American women “reassures us, as well as our partners, as we see that the efforts made in recent days are paying off and must be continued,” he stressed.

The two women were visiting the Nahal Oz kibbutz when they were abducted by Hamas during its bloody attack on Israel. This is the first hostage release confirmed by both sides.

About 210 hostages according to a new IDF review – Israelis, foreigners and dual nationals – were kidnapped in Israel and taken to Gaza by Hamas militants during the unprecedented October 7 attack that sparked a war, with Israel has been bombing the Gaza Strip ever since to “exterminate” the Islamist movement.

Hamas: Links ground operation to fate of Israeli military hostages

At the same time, the Islamist organization announced today Saturday that will not discuss the fate of the hostages who are Israeli soldiers, until Israel stops its “aggression” in the Gaza Strip. But, apparently aligned with Qatar, Hamas essentially states that it does not intend to hold civilians hostage.

“Our position regarding the Israeli military is clear: it is related to a (possible) prisoner exchange, and we will not discuss it until Israel ends its aggression in Gaza and the Palestinians,” Hamas official Osama Hamdam said from Lebanon, during a TV show.

It is noted that an American woman and her daughter, who had been kidnapped by Hamas, were released “for humanitarian reasons” according to the Islamic organization.

“Turkey will continue the struggle for lasting peace”

Communication with the top political leader of Hamas Ismail Haniya had on Saturday o Recep Tayyip Erdoganwho claims a mediating role. Haniya is the Israelis’ “No. 1” wanted man, and Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by many Western countries. Erdogan maintains close relations with Hamas, which has a strong presence in Turkey, which angers Israel.

“Ankara is working to ensure that Gaza will receive humanitarian aid, the injured can be treated in Turkey when necessary,” Erdogan told Ismail Haniya.

“Turkey will continue him international struggle for lasting peace, establishment of a Palestinian state on the borders of 1967 with Jerusalem as the capital” President Erdoğan told Haniya according to SKAI correspondent in Istanbul Manolis Kostidis.